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Hurricane Gustav (2002)
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Gustav was a Category 2
hurricane that paralleled the East Coast of the United States
in September during the 2002 Atlantic hurricane season
. It was the seventh named storm and first hurricane of the season. Initially a subtropical depression north of the Bahamas, Gustav passed slightly to the east of the Outer Banks
of North Carolina
as a tropical storm before moving northeastward and making two landfalls in Atlantic Canada
as a Category 1 hurricane. The storm was responsible for one death and $100,000 in damage, mostly in North Carolina
. The interaction between Gustav and a non-tropical system produced strong winds that caused an additional $240,000 (2002 USD) in damage in New England
, but this damage was not directly attributed to the hurricane.
Gustav spent the early part of its life as a subtropical storm
, and was the first such storm to be named from the current lists by the National Hurricane Center
. Previously, subtropical storms were not given names. The cyclone was also the latest-forming first hurricane of the season since 1941.
and a stronger upper-level trough between the Bahamas and Bermuda
developed on September 6. High pressure ridging
strengthened by Tropical Storm Fay
caused the trough to become more organized and close off into a broad non-tropical low on September 7. By September 8, the system had developed enough convection near its center of circulation to be classified Subtropical Depression
Eight while located southeast of Cape Hatteras
, North Carolina
. Later that day, data from a Hurricane Hunter reconnaissance aircraft indicated that the system had strengthened into a subtropical storm, and the depression was upgraded to Subtropical Storm Gustav.
Gustav moved erratically to the west-northwest toward the North Carolina
-South Carolina
border over the next two days, slowly strengthening and acquiring more tropical characteristics. On September 10, a poorly organized band of stronger winds developed around the center, and Gustav was designated a fully tropical storm shortly before turning toward the north and brushing Cape Hatteras
, then accelerating toward the northeast and away from the coast. On September 11, while under the influence of a non-tropical system over New England
, Gustav quickly strengthened into a hurricane, in a process similar to the intensification of Hurricane Michael
in 2000. Gustav reached its peak intensity of 100 mph (160 km/h) later that day.
The hurricane began to slowly weaken and lose tropical characteristics on early September 12 as it moved over colder waters and encountered increasing wind shear
. However, the storm was moving quickly enough to make landfall over Cape Breton
, Nova Scotia
as a Category 1 hurricane on September 12. Later that morning, Gustav made a second landfall in Newfoundland and became extratropical
shortly after. The extratropical low continued moving slowly to the northeast before dissipating over the Labrador Sea
on September 15.
predicted that Gustav would approach the North Carolina
coast, and issued a tropical storm watch from Cape Fear to the North Carolina – Virginia
border. The tropical storm watch was upgraded to a tropical storm warning on September 9, and a new tropical storm watch was issued later that day for areas of southeastern Virginia, from the North Carolina – Virginia border to New Point Comfort
. The new watch was upgraded to a tropical storm warning on September 10. As Gustav began to turn to the northeast and away from the Mid-Atlantic coast, the tropical storm warnings were gradually discontinued. The last warning was discontinued on September 11.
As Gustav approached Atlantic Canada, Environment Canada
and the Canadian Hurricane Centre
issued heavy rain and wind warnings for southern New Brunswick
, Prince Edward Island
, Nova Scotia
, and Newfoundland.
, areas of North Carolina
and southeastern Virginia
experienced heavy rain and tropical storm force winds. Parts of the Outer Banks
received 2–5 inches (50–125 mm) of rain and winds of up to 50 mph (80 km/h), and the Coast Guard
station at Cape Hatteras reported a wind gust of 78 mph (125 km/h). The storm produced storm surge
s of 3–6 feet (1.8 m) along the Outer Banks
, and 1–3 foot (0.9144 m) along the southeastern coast of Virginia. These surges, combined with strong winds and high sea swells, resulted in minor flooding, mainly in Ocracoke
and Hatteras Village, North Carolina. A weak waterspout
also touched down on Silver Lake near Ocracoke and moved onshore, but only minor roof damage was reported. Sporadic power outages were also reported. One person died after suffering injuries in the high surf, and 40 other people had to be rescued from riptides and storm surges. Damage in the region amounted to $100,000 (2002 USD).
over the central United States
caused strong winds in areas of New Jersey
on September 11. Wind gusts ranged from 35–45 mph (55–70 km/h), with stronger winds reported near the coast. A maximum wind gust of 60 mph (100 km/h) was reported at Keansburg
. The strong winds downed trees and power lines throughout the eastern half of the state, damaging homes and blocking streets. At least 14,000 homes in the vicinity of Burlington
and Ocean Counties
were left without power. In West Windsor Township, a man was killed when the upper section of a concrete wall he was working on blew over and crushed him. The other death occurred in West Amwell Township, where a tree limb fell on two elderly women, killing one and injuring the other. Elsewhere, while there were reports of trees falling on vehicles, no other serious injuries or deaths were reported.
, mainly in eastern New York
and Massachusetts
. Some areas reported storm-force
wind gusts of over 55 mph (90 km/h), and a maximum wind gust of 67 mph (108 km/h) was reported by a weather spotter in Catskill, New York
. Wind gusts of up to 50 mph (80 km/h) were reported in areas of Massachusetts. The winds downed trees and power lines, and several homes and cars were damaged by fallen trees. Over 29,000 homes were left without power in eastern New York, and 19,000 homes lost power in Massachusetts. In all, the winds caused $240,000 (2002 USD) in damage, but this damage was not directly attributed to Gustav in the National Hurricane Center's analysis.
In the New York City
area, a peak wind gust of 60 mph (100 km/h) was reported at John F. Kennedy International Airport
. The winds caused some minor roof damage to buildings, and forced officials in New York City
to cordon off parts of Manhattan
as debris ranging from wrapping paper to crushed soda cans was blown about. This debris injured four people, one critically, and disrupted a 9/11
memorial service, though it continued as planned.
Sustained winds of 25–35 mph (40–55 km/h), with gusts up to 55 mph (90 km/h), were reported throughout Long Island
. Damage on the island was mainly limited to downed trees and power lines, although the Long Island Power Authority
reported that at least 93,000 homes lost power during the day on September 11. One person was killed when his boat capsized in the Long Island Sound
.
Despite gradually losing its tropical characteristics, Gustav brought heavy rain, storm and hurricane force winds, and storm surges to areas of Atlantic Canada
for several days. Strong winds knocked down trees and damaged docks in Nova Scotia
, and a wind gust of 75 mph (122 km/h) was reported on Sable Island
. Gusts to over 60 mph (100 km/h) were reported in Newfoundland for several days after the center of Gustav moved out of the area. Rainfall amounts generally ranged from 0.3–2.7 inches (10–70 mm), with a maximum of 4 inches (102 mm) in Ashdale, Nova Scotia
. Several locations set new daily rainfall records. Localized flooding was reported in areas of Prince Edward Island
, and 4,000 people in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island were left without power. Despite the heavy rain and wind, there were no reports of deaths or significant damage in Atlantic Canada.
. Prior to the 2002 season, Atlantic subtropical storms were either not named or given a number from a separate numbering list than tropical cyclones.
When Gustav attained hurricane status on September 11, it became the latest first hurricane to form in any season since the 1941 season
, when the first hurricane developed on September 16. According to climatology
, an average of three hurricanes form by September 11 of each year.
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
hurricane that paralleled the East Coast of the United States
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
in September during the 2002 Atlantic hurricane season
2002 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2002 Atlantic hurricane season was an average Atlantic hurricane season, officially starting on June 1, 2002 and ending on November 30, dates which conventionally limit the period of each year when tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean tend to form...
. It was the seventh named storm and first hurricane of the season. Initially a subtropical depression north of the Bahamas, Gustav passed slightly to the east of the Outer Banks
Outer Banks
The Outer Banks is a 200-mile long string of narrow barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina, beginning in the southeastern corner of Virginia Beach on the east coast of the United States....
of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
as a tropical storm before moving northeastward and making two landfalls in Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
as a Category 1 hurricane. The storm was responsible for one death and $100,000 in damage, mostly in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. The interaction between Gustav and a non-tropical system produced strong winds that caused an additional $240,000 (2002 USD) in damage in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, but this damage was not directly attributed to the hurricane.
Gustav spent the early part of its life as a subtropical storm
Subtropical cyclone
A subtropical cyclone is a weather system that has some characteristics of a tropical and an extratropical cyclone. As early as the 1950s, meteorologists were unclear whether they should be characterized as tropical or extratropical cyclones. They were officially recognized by the National...
, and was the first such storm to be named from the current lists by the National Hurricane Center
National Hurricane Center
The National Hurricane Center , located at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, is the division of the National Weather Service responsible for tracking and predicting weather systems within the tropics between the Prime Meridian and the 140th meridian west poleward to the 30th...
. Previously, subtropical storms were not given names. The cyclone was also the latest-forming first hurricane of the season since 1941.
Meteorological history
An area of disturbed weather in association with a weak surface troughTrough (meteorology)
A trough is an elongated region of relatively low atmospheric pressure, often associated with fronts.Unlike fronts, there is not a universal symbol for a trough on a weather chart. The weather charts in some countries or regions mark troughs by a line. In the United States, a trough may be marked...
and a stronger upper-level trough between the Bahamas and Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
developed on September 6. High pressure ridging
High pressure area
A high-pressure area is a region where the atmospheric pressure at the surface of the planet is greater than its surrounding environment. Winds within high-pressure areas flow outward due to the higher density air near their center and friction with land...
strengthened by Tropical Storm Fay
Tropical Storm Fay (2002)
Tropical Storm Fay was the sixth named storm of the 2002 Atlantic hurricane season; it was a moderate tropical storm which caused flooding in parts of Texas and Mexico. In early September, a trough of low pressure moved south into the Gulf of Mexico, and became stationary...
caused the trough to become more organized and close off into a broad non-tropical low on September 7. By September 8, the system had developed enough convection near its center of circulation to be classified Subtropical Depression
Subtropical cyclone
A subtropical cyclone is a weather system that has some characteristics of a tropical and an extratropical cyclone. As early as the 1950s, meteorologists were unclear whether they should be characterized as tropical or extratropical cyclones. They were officially recognized by the National...
Eight while located southeast of Cape Hatteras
Cape Hatteras
Cape Hatteras is a cape on the coast of North Carolina. It is the point that protrudes the farthest to the southeast along the northeast-to-southwest line of the Atlantic coast of North America...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Later that day, data from a Hurricane Hunter reconnaissance aircraft indicated that the system had strengthened into a subtropical storm, and the depression was upgraded to Subtropical Storm Gustav.
Gustav moved erratically to the west-northwest toward the North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
-South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
border over the next two days, slowly strengthening and acquiring more tropical characteristics. On September 10, a poorly organized band of stronger winds developed around the center, and Gustav was designated a fully tropical storm shortly before turning toward the north and brushing Cape Hatteras
Cape Hatteras
Cape Hatteras is a cape on the coast of North Carolina. It is the point that protrudes the farthest to the southeast along the northeast-to-southwest line of the Atlantic coast of North America...
, then accelerating toward the northeast and away from the coast. On September 11, while under the influence of a non-tropical system over New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, Gustav quickly strengthened into a hurricane, in a process similar to the intensification of Hurricane Michael
Hurricane Michael (2000)
Hurricane Michael of the 2000 Atlantic hurricane season caused moderate damage in Atlantic Canada. The seventeenth tropical cyclone, thirteenth named storm, and eighth hurricane of the season, Michael developed from a non-tropical system to the southwest of Bermuda on October 15. The system...
in 2000. Gustav reached its peak intensity of 100 mph (160 km/h) later that day.
The hurricane began to slowly weaken and lose tropical characteristics on early September 12 as it moved over colder waters and encountered increasing wind shear
Wind shear
Wind shear, sometimes referred to as windshear or wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere...
. However, the storm was moving quickly enough to make landfall over Cape Breton
Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia
Cape Breton Regional Municipality often shortened to simply CBRM, is a regional municipality in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton County.According to the 2006 Census of Canada, the population within the Cape Breton Regional Municipality is 102,250...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
as a Category 1 hurricane on September 12. Later that morning, Gustav made a second landfall in Newfoundland and became extratropical
Extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of cyclones defined as synoptic scale low pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth having neither tropical nor polar characteristics, and are connected with fronts and...
shortly after. The extratropical low continued moving slowly to the northeast before dissipating over the Labrador Sea
Labrador Sea
The Labrador Sea is an arm of the North Atlantic Ocean between the Labrador Peninsula and Greenland. The sea is flanked by continental shelves to the southwest, northwest, and northeast. It connects to the north with Baffin Bay through the Davis Strait...
on September 15.
Preparations
On September 8, forecasters at the National Hurricane CenterNational Hurricane Center
The National Hurricane Center , located at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, is the division of the National Weather Service responsible for tracking and predicting weather systems within the tropics between the Prime Meridian and the 140th meridian west poleward to the 30th...
predicted that Gustav would approach the North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
coast, and issued a tropical storm watch from Cape Fear to the North Carolina – Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
border. The tropical storm watch was upgraded to a tropical storm warning on September 9, and a new tropical storm watch was issued later that day for areas of southeastern Virginia, from the North Carolina – Virginia border to New Point Comfort
New Point Comfort
New Point Comfort is a point of land located in Mathews County at the tip of Virginia's Middle Peninsula in the lower Chesapeake Bay in the United States...
. The new watch was upgraded to a tropical storm warning on September 10. As Gustav began to turn to the northeast and away from the Mid-Atlantic coast, the tropical storm warnings were gradually discontinued. The last warning was discontinued on September 11.
As Gustav approached Atlantic Canada, Environment Canada
Environment Canada
Environment Canada , legally incorporated as the Department of the Environment under the Department of the Environment Act Environment Canada (EC) (French: Environnement Canada), legally incorporated as the Department of the Environment under the Department of the Environment Act Environment...
and the Canadian Hurricane Centre
Canadian Hurricane Centre
The Canadian Hurricane Centre is a division of the Meteorological Service of Canada, an agency of Canada's Department of the Environment, which exists to advise Canadians on the threat of tropical cyclones such as hurricanes and tropical storms...
issued heavy rain and wind warnings for southern New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, and Newfoundland.
North Carolina and Virginia
Although the center of Gustav passed just to the east of Cape HatterasCape Hatteras
Cape Hatteras is a cape on the coast of North Carolina. It is the point that protrudes the farthest to the southeast along the northeast-to-southwest line of the Atlantic coast of North America...
, areas of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
and southeastern Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
experienced heavy rain and tropical storm force winds. Parts of the Outer Banks
Outer Banks
The Outer Banks is a 200-mile long string of narrow barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina, beginning in the southeastern corner of Virginia Beach on the east coast of the United States....
received 2–5 inches (50–125 mm) of rain and winds of up to 50 mph (80 km/h), and the Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
station at Cape Hatteras reported a wind gust of 78 mph (125 km/h). The storm produced storm surge
Storm surge
A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones. Storm surges are caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea...
s of 3–6 feet (1.8 m) along the Outer Banks
Outer Banks
The Outer Banks is a 200-mile long string of narrow barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina, beginning in the southeastern corner of Virginia Beach on the east coast of the United States....
, and 1–3 foot (0.9144 m) along the southeastern coast of Virginia. These surges, combined with strong winds and high sea swells, resulted in minor flooding, mainly in Ocracoke
Ocracoke, North Carolina
Ocracoke is a census-designated place and unincorporated town located at the southern end of Ocracoke Island, located entirely within Hyde County, North Carolina. The population was 769 as of the 2000 census...
and Hatteras Village, North Carolina. A weak waterspout
Waterspout
A waterspout is an intense columnar vortex that occurs over a body of water and is connected to a cumuliform cloud. In the common form, it is a non-supercell tornado over water. While it is often weaker than most of its land counterparts, stronger versions spawned by mesocyclones do occur...
also touched down on Silver Lake near Ocracoke and moved onshore, but only minor roof damage was reported. Sporadic power outages were also reported. One person died after suffering injuries in the high surf, and 40 other people had to be rescued from riptides and storm surges. Damage in the region amounted to $100,000 (2002 USD).
New Jersey
Although the center of Gustav remained well offshore, the difference in pressure between it and a high pressure areaHigh pressure area
A high-pressure area is a region where the atmospheric pressure at the surface of the planet is greater than its surrounding environment. Winds within high-pressure areas flow outward due to the higher density air near their center and friction with land...
over the central United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
caused strong winds in areas of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
on September 11. Wind gusts ranged from 35–45 mph (55–70 km/h), with stronger winds reported near the coast. A maximum wind gust of 60 mph (100 km/h) was reported at Keansburg
Keansburg, New Jersey
Keansburg is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 10,105.Keansburg was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 26, 1917, from portions of both Middletown Township and Raritan Township ,...
. The strong winds downed trees and power lines throughout the eastern half of the state, damaging homes and blocking streets. At least 14,000 homes in the vicinity of Burlington
Burlington County, New Jersey
There were 154,371 households out of which 34.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.70% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.50% had...
and Ocean Counties
Ocean County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 510,916 people, 200,402 households, and 137,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 803 people per square mile . There were 248,711 housing units at an average density of 151/km²...
were left without power. In West Windsor Township, a man was killed when the upper section of a concrete wall he was working on blew over and crushed him. The other death occurred in West Amwell Township, where a tree limb fell on two elderly women, killing one and injuring the other. Elsewhere, while there were reports of trees falling on vehicles, no other serious injuries or deaths were reported.
New York and New England
The interaction between Gustav and the non-tropical system caused strong winds that affected areas of coastal New EnglandNew England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, mainly in eastern New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. Some areas reported storm-force
Beaufort scale
The Beaufort Scale is an empirical measure that relates wind speed to observed conditions at sea or on land. Its full name is the Beaufort Wind Force Scale.-History:...
wind gusts of over 55 mph (90 km/h), and a maximum wind gust of 67 mph (108 km/h) was reported by a weather spotter in Catskill, New York
Catskill (town), New York
Catskill is a town in the southeast part of Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 11,775 at the 2010 census. The western part of the town is in the Catskill Park....
. Wind gusts of up to 50 mph (80 km/h) were reported in areas of Massachusetts. The winds downed trees and power lines, and several homes and cars were damaged by fallen trees. Over 29,000 homes were left without power in eastern New York, and 19,000 homes lost power in Massachusetts. In all, the winds caused $240,000 (2002 USD) in damage, but this damage was not directly attributed to Gustav in the National Hurricane Center's analysis.
In the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
area, a peak wind gust of 60 mph (100 km/h) was reported at John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
. The winds caused some minor roof damage to buildings, and forced officials in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to cordon off parts of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
as debris ranging from wrapping paper to crushed soda cans was blown about. This debris injured four people, one critically, and disrupted a 9/11
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
memorial service, though it continued as planned.
Sustained winds of 25–35 mph (40–55 km/h), with gusts up to 55 mph (90 km/h), were reported throughout Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
. Damage on the island was mainly limited to downed trees and power lines, although the Long Island Power Authority
Long Island Power Authority
The Long Island Power Authority or LIPA [ "lie-pah" ], a municipal subdivision of the State of New York, was created under the Long Island Power Act of 1985 to acquire the Long Island Lighting Company 's assets and securities...
reported that at least 93,000 homes lost power during the day on September 11. One person was killed when his boat capsized in the Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
.
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
for several days. Strong winds knocked down trees and damaged docks in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, and a wind gust of 75 mph (122 km/h) was reported on Sable Island
Sable Island
Sable Island is a small Canadian island situated 300 km southeast of mainland Nova Scotia in the Atlantic Ocean. The island is a year-round home to approximately five people...
. Gusts to over 60 mph (100 km/h) were reported in Newfoundland for several days after the center of Gustav moved out of the area. Rainfall amounts generally ranged from 0.3–2.7 inches (10–70 mm), with a maximum of 4 inches (102 mm) in Ashdale, Nova Scotia
Ashdale, Nova Scotia
Ashdale is a small community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in Antigonish County. Its Gaelic name reflects an earlier name for this place, Lake Gaspereau.-References:...
. Several locations set new daily rainfall records. Localized flooding was reported in areas of Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
, and 4,000 people in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island were left without power. Despite the heavy rain and wind, there were no reports of deaths or significant damage in Atlantic Canada.
Naming and records
Gustav was the first subtropical storm to be given a name from the current name lists by the National Hurricane CenterNational Hurricane Center
The National Hurricane Center , located at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, is the division of the National Weather Service responsible for tracking and predicting weather systems within the tropics between the Prime Meridian and the 140th meridian west poleward to the 30th...
. Prior to the 2002 season, Atlantic subtropical storms were either not named or given a number from a separate numbering list than tropical cyclones.
When Gustav attained hurricane status on September 11, it became the latest first hurricane to form in any season since the 1941 season
1941 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1941 Atlantic hurricane season was the period during 1941 in which tropical cyclones formed in the Atlantic Basin. It was a relatively inactive hurricane season, with only six known storms. It officially began on June 16, 1941 and lasted until November 1, 1941. These dates delimit the period of...
, when the first hurricane developed on September 16. According to climatology
Climatology
Climatology is the study of climate, scientifically defined as weather conditions averaged over a period of time, and is a branch of the atmospheric sciences...
, an average of three hurricanes form by September 11 of each year.
See also
- Tropical cycloneTropical cycloneA tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
- Subtropical cycloneSubtropical cycloneA subtropical cyclone is a weather system that has some characteristics of a tropical and an extratropical cyclone. As early as the 1950s, meteorologists were unclear whether they should be characterized as tropical or extratropical cyclones. They were officially recognized by the National...
- Other storms of the same name
- List of storms in the 2002 Atlantic hurricane season
- List of North Carolina hurricanes (1980–present)